Reckless Paradise [a descendants story]

Chapter Twelve | Blackmail

Jax was pacing again. After Quinn had told him everything she had heard, he had asked Cai, who was on watch, to go get Jade and have her guarded at all times. "If they come up empty, they might go for her anyway."

"There's no way he'll be able to figure it out, right?" Quinn asked, leaning against the desk. "Only you and I know."

He nodded. "We need to come up with a father though because he will try to catch you off-guard."

"It would have to be someone no one knows."

"Preferably someone from my father's crew," Jax mused. "Alf Mason."

"Who?" Quinn asked.

"Exactly," Jax said. "He's dead and no one knows who he is or what he looked like."

"Alright: Alf Mason," Quinn said, letting the name gain familiarity on her tongue. "I guess there's not really anything else we can do about all this right now."

Jax shook his head. "Just hope for the best." He stood in front of her and took her hands in his. "I'm sorry I was an ass earlier." He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them gently.

"I forgive you," Quinn said with a small smile. "You're under a lot of stress right now."

"Yeah, but you're right. Arrogance only works in certain situations." He grinned. "Like turning you on, apparently."

Quinn laughed. "And even that, in only very specific situations." She stood on her toes to kiss him, arms curling around his neck.

That night, Quinn felt herself shaken awake and opened her eyes to find Cyrus' concerned face.

"It's Cai," he said. "He can't stop coughing."

Quinn quickly pulled on her clothes and quietly crept out of the room to not wake Jax. She followed Cyrus to the forecastle. From outside the door, she could already hear the hacking cough. Inside almost everyone was awake, trying to cover their ears with pillows to drown out the noise. Cai was lying in his hammock, curled on his side and coughing into his arm. His face was pale and damp and his eyes teary and red. It seemed like a regular cold, but the cough did not sound good.

"How long has he been like this?" she asked Cyrus.

"He's had a cold for a week or so, but it only got bad tonight."

Quinn nodded. "Well, until we know for sure what it is, make sure he gets rest and fluids. If he gets worse, come get me."

Cyrus nodded.

"Oh, and make sure you wash your hands and all that. We don't need everyone else catching this, especially not now," she added.

When she returned to bed, Jax woke up. "Where've you been?" he asked blearily.

"Cai has a cold. Nothing to worry about," she said and slipped under the covers.

The next morning, Jax was already up when Quinn woke up. She found him in the guest bedroom with Jade, who was not pleased with her new bodyguard situation.

"I've always been allowed to go out on my own," she protested. "What's different now?"

"There's a possibility someone might try to kidnap you to use as leverage," Jax explained calmly.

"Who?" she demanded.

"I... can't tell you,' Jax said.

"How can I be safe if I don't know who's out to get me?"

Jax sighed, then caught sight of Quinn in the doorway. She smiled at them. "Maybe you two should spend the day together," she suggested. "Then Jax can be your bodyguard, but it'll be more fun."